Paper-receptacle



0. H. HICKS.

PAPER REGEPTAOLB.

{Model.)

w M 05 m M P 3 UNiTnD STATES ATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER H. HICKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PAPER- RECEPTAC LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,940, dated September 13, 1887.

Application filed May 9, 1887. Serial No. 237,560. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER H. HIcKs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Paper Receptacles; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to im proved mechanism for clamping together the sides about the opening of a paper-receptacle closed without the use of a cover, by compressing such sides into contact with each other; it being my object to provide novel and effective means for the purpose,of simple construction, capable of ready manipulation and non-obstructive to the operation of nesting, for shipment or storage, receptacles provided with it.

My invention consists in the construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a form of paper-receptacle provided with my improved clamping device; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same closed and secured in closed condition by means of my improved clamping mechanism; Fig. 3, a section taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the open receptacle provided with a modified form of my improvement, and Fig. 5 a similar view showing the receptacle closed and clamped with the modified device.

I illustrate myimprovement in its application to an especial form of coverless paper-receptacle, A, ofmy own manufacture,and formed by folding a sheet of paper to produce the flat base a and flaring rectangular shape represented, and having the corners q and q,resulting from the folds, lapped one over the other toward their adjacent extremities and secured upon opposite sides. The securing of the corners in place may be produced, or at least assisted, by means of the handle orbail B,formed of tape or of wire bent as shown, and having its ends inserted through one side of the receptacle and the corners folded thereon, and by the clamping mechanism, hereinafter described. I do not, however,wish to be understood as limiting the application of my im proved clamping device to a paper-receptacle of the form and construction herein shown and cure it or either end ofit against casual with- 6 c drawal from the receptacle; or, if desired,the ends may be bent before passing through the receptacle and then be pressed against the side. Fig. 4 clearlyillustrates the manner of attachment.

The strip 0 constitutes a clamp or closure, and is located, by preference, on the same side of the receptacle as the bail B, and extends along the inner side of the latter, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. It may,however, be secured to the side of the receptacle opposite the bail B, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) in which case the ends 9 may be sufficiently long, compared with the bail B, to enable the part 19 to clear the bail when the strip 0 is folded over to clamp the receptacle in its closed condition, as hereinafter described; but if this be not desired, instead of lengthening the part1), the bail may be bent inward to permit the strip 0 to be passed over it.

On the side opposite that provided with the strip 0 is a retaining-strip, D, comprising, preferably, a flat piece of flexible metal, and located centrally between the lateral extremities of the side as the most advantageous position for it. The retaining-strip, however, may be composed of tape or string.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: When the strip 0 is provided on the same side as the bail, (in which case I find it generally desirable to provide the retaining device D on the opposite side,) to effect a closure of the receptacle the opposite sides are brought together by hand (in the form of receptacle shown the sides of the rectangular box adjacent to those described being forced inward) and the strip 0 is bent by hand from the shape and position in Fig. I to the shape and position in Fig. 2--that is, to a U shape-= and to a position inclosing the edges of the vessel, and compressed tightly to cause the opposite sides of the opening to remain together. The ends of the clamp are secured to the side of the receptacle below its upper edge, in order that a portion of the ends may rest against the side and be sustained by the side, while the upper portions of the ends are bent over the sides and against the other side of the receptacle. The retaining-strip D is bent over the part 19 of the closure 0, as shown in Fig. 3, affording a stop to prevent a separation of the contiguous edges at the opening under the Weight of the contents of the receptacle when the latter is carried by the bail. It is to be understood that the clamp O is firmly secured to one side of the receptacle by the ends 19, as aforesaid. To open the receptacle after closure, the steps are reversed, as follows: The retaining device D is released from the part 19 and the clamp O is partially unbent, wholly unbending it being unnecessary, until the opposite sides of the receptacle can be separated with ease.

Where, as is shown, the clamp O is on the side of the receptacle opposite the bail, Figs. 4 and 5, the retaining device D is usually unnecessary. The clamp being firmly secured by its ends to the opposite side, it is found that the stiffness of the metal is sufficient to prevent displacement, inasmuch as the bentover part of the clamp serves as a shoulder to prevent the withdrawing of that side from the opposite one held up by the bail; In other words, the side having the bail affords a support through the medium of the bent clamp O for the opposite side.

It will be seen that with the mechanism forming my present improvement the securing effect is exerted along a line on a side of the receptacle near the opening equal or substan-.

tially equal to the entire length of the receptacle, and is therefore uniform throughout..

The bail B performs no function in the operation of clamping. The parts 10 p and retaining device D, when applied to the open receptacle, do not interfere with nesting.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a paper-receptacle, A, having a bail, B, on one side, and constructed to be closed by compressing together the sides toward the opening, of a clamp, G, for securing it in closed condition, comprising a flexible metal strip having the part 10 and ends p, secured at their extremities to a side of the receptacle and below the upper edge of the side, whereby when the edges of the sides are brought together the clamp may be bent over and inclose the sides, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a paper-receptacle, A, having a bail, B, on one side, and constructed to be closed by compressing together the sides toward the opening, and clamping mechanism for securing it inclosed condition, comprising a clamp,-O, composed of a flexible metal strip bent to produce the part 19 and ends 19, secured at their extremities to one side of the receptacle and below the upper edge of the side, and a retaining-strip, D, at the opposite side of the-same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a paper-receptacle,.A, having a bail, B, on one side, and constructed'to be closed by compressing together the sides toward the opening, of clamping mechanism for securing it in closed condition, comprising a clamp, O, composed of a flexible metal strip bent to produce the part p and ends p, secured at their extremities to one side of the receptacle and below the upper edge of the side, and a flexible metal retaining-strip, D, secured to the opposite side to retain the clamp O, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

0 LIVER H. HICKS.

In presence of- J. W. DYRENFORTH, CHAS. E. GAYLORD. 

